Fundamental Law

Felix, by unquestionable right, Emperor of The Land of Kings and Emperors, King of Norwood, and Sovereign of all dominions under the Imperial Crown, do proclaim the Constitution of the Empire as following;

That sovereignty shall forever be invested in the line of Emperors, who have reigned The Land of Kings and Emperors since its founding. That an Emperor has a duty to reign for the good of His realm, and that His prerogative to do so shall be unchallenged by His subjects.

Proclaiming further that the passing of this Constitution shall override the Twelfth Constitution henceforth, but shall not affect the validity of decisions taken under that Constitution or the force in law of Acts of the Estates General, imperial decrees, treaties, common law, Letters Patent, Lettre de cachet and judgments of the Imperial Courts of Justice.

Article I

I. The Emperor may grant membership of the Electoral College to any eligible person. To be eligible to be granted membership of the Electoral College a person must:

a) control a nation located in The Land of Kings and Emperors;
b) not concurrently hold membership of the Electoral College with another nation or forum account within The Land of Kings and Emperors;
c) have not been banished from the region;
d) not possess citizenship or equivalent status in any entity with which The Land of Kings and Emperors is at war; and
e) not possess citizenship or equivalent status in any entity proscribed as consistent with the law by The Land of Kings and Emperors.

II. In order for a person's citizenship application to be considered valid, an oath swearing fealty to the Emperor at the time of application and allegiance to the Empire of The Land of Kings and Emperors must be included at the bottom.

III. All persons who hold citizenship at the time immediately prior to this Constitution coming into effect shall become members of the Electoral College automatically.

IV. Each member of the Electoral College shall be styled as an Elector of The Land of Kings and Emperors. Each member of the Electoral College shall, for the duration of their membership, concurrently hold citizenship of the Imperial Demesne. Each member of the Electoral College who claims a monarchical title, over the nation which they control within the capital region, may display this title in addition to their style as Elector.

V. The Emperor may, at his discretion, revoke a person's membership of the Electoral College for the following reasons:

a) The member does not have a nation in The Land of Kings and Emperors known to the Emperor;
b) The member has been inactive on the forums for a period of more than 28 days;
c) The member possesses citizenship or equivalent status in any entity with which The Land of Kings and Emperors is at war;
d) The member possesses citizenship or equivalent status in any entity proscribed as consistent with the law by The Land of Kings and Emperors; or
e) The member is found to have provided false information on their application to the Electoral College.

VI. Persons affected by Article I, Section V, Subsections (a), (c), (d), and (e) of the Constitution shall be afforded the right to be notified by an official of the region that their citizenship may be revoked and why it may be revoked. The Emperor may waive the requirement for notification under this section.

VII. Any revocation effected under section VI of this article shall be without prejudice to re-application following the resolution of the reason(s) proscribed.

VIII. Subject to any dispensations granted by the Emperor, during a period when an election takes place as consistent with the law persons shall only be granted citizenship of the Imperial Demesne and shall not be eligible to participate in any election until the ongoing election ends as consistent with the law, at which point they shall be granted membership of the Electoral College and shall have the same voting rights as any other member of the Electoral College.

Article II

I. The Emperor shall be Commander in Chief of the Imperial Army. No other military force may be established except with the permission of the Emperor and any such force shall be subject to the Emperor's supreme command. The Emperor may issue imperial decrees regulating the command, objectives and structure of both the Imperial Army and the Imperial Intelligence Organisation. No intelligence agency may be established unless it is part of the Imperial Intelligence Organisation. The Emperor may declare war or peace.

II. The Emperor may make treaties with foreign states. To be incorporated into domestic law, a treaty must be approved by an absolute majority of the Estates General. The Emperor may rescind treaties.

III. The Emperor may grant a pardon or lesser clemency to any person convicted of a crime.

IV. The Emperor may use the style "His Supreme Majesty" and any other title he adopts.

V. No statute binds the Imperial Crown unless expressly stated to. The Emperor shall be immune from all criminal or civil proceedings and decisions. Decisions of the Emperor are exempt from judicial review.

VI. The Emperor is obliged to respect the rule of law and be publicly neutral as to the outcome of all domestic elections. The Emperor may act so as to keep the peace.

VII. Regions shall accede to and secede from the Empire by the Emperor's command alone. The capital region and Norwood shall be permanently bound to the Empire.

Article III

I. The Emperor may name and remove the Crown Prince and decide his style and privileges. The Crown Prince shall be the Heir Apparent to the Imperial Crown and shall succeed to the throne upon the abdication of the Emperor. The Emperor may create Ordinary Princes and decide their style and privileges. The Emperor shall be the Head of the Imperial House. The Emperor Emeritus, any Retired Emperor Sequentia, the Crown Prince and any Ordinary Princes shall be the other members of the Imperial House and shall serve as advisers to the Emperor.

II. The Emperor may delegate, in whole or in part, his powers and duties to, and subsequently remove them from, any member of the Imperial House.

III. The Emperor may appoint and dismiss the Lord High Steward. The Lord High Steward must be a Peer of the Realm. The Emperor may delegate, in whole or in part, his powers and duties to, and subsequently remove them from, the Lord High Steward.

IV. Delegating a power or duty to any person creates no obstacle to the Emperor personally exercising that power or duty. The Emperor may impose conditions on the exercise of powers and duties they have delegated to another individual.

V. The Emperor may create any Citizen of the Imperial Demesne as a Peer of the Realm. A peerage created for the Crown Prince and any Ordinary Prince automatically returns to the Crown after they cease to be members of the Imperial House, except where the Emperor has expressly granted permission in advance for such a peerage to be retained. A peerage created for any other Citizen of the Imperial Demesne automatically returns to the Crown after the creation of a peerage of the same or higher rank for the individual concerned. The Emperor shall have the authority to regulate and revise place names associated with previously-created peerages. The Emperor may remove a peerage on the grounds that the individual concerned is no longer loyal to the realm or has petitioned the Emperor to remove said peerage. The Emperor may grant and remove honours, including membership of imperial orders and medals.

VI. The Emperor shall always be the head of state of all regions within the Empire. The Emperor may categorise regions within the Empire (except the capital region) into the three classes of vassal realm, dominion and territory. For each region categorised as a vassal realm, the Emperor has the discretion to name, entitle and remove a Citizen of the Imperial Demesne as vassal monarch. In regions within the Empire without a vassal monarch, the Emperor may appoint and dismiss viceroys to rule vassal realms, governors-general to rule dominions and governors to rule territories. Each vassal monarch or crown representative may determine the internal affairs of their region. The defence and the foreign affairs of all regions within the Empire shall be the responsibility of the Emperor and the Imperial Government in accordance with their respective duties.

VII. The Guardian Council shall consist of the Lord High Steward and up to six other Peers of the Realm selected by the Emperor. Guardian Counsellors shall offer advice to the Emperor on matters of state. The Lord High Steward shall serve as the Moderator of the Guardian Council.

VIII. Upon the abdication of the Emperor, the Guardian Council shall be responsible for proclaiming the accession of the Crown Prince to the throne. If there is no Crown Prince at the point of the Emperor's abdication, the Guardian Council shall consult any line of succession previously decreed by the Emperor and proclaim the rightful holder of the Imperial Crown.

Article IV

I. All legislative power shall be vested in the Estates General, which shall consist of two chambers, the Estates Common and the Estates Noble.

II. The Estates Common shall consist of no less than three and no more than seven Members of the Estates Common elected by the Electors of the Land of Kings and Emperors. The exact number of seats shall be decided by the Emperor prior to each election for the Estates Common. The Estates Noble shall consist of no less than three and no more than seven members. The exact number of seats shall be decided by the Emperor prior to each opening of the Estates General. Members of the Estates Noble are appointed by the Emperor from among the Peers of the Realm. The Emperor may appoint or remove Members of the Estates Noble at any time. No Peer who has been elected to the Estates Common may serve in the Estates Noble.

III. For each session of the Estates General the Estates Common shall elect a Speaker, from amongst its membership, to preside over their proceedings. If a vote for Speaker of the Estates Common is tied, the Emperor may break this tie. The Speaker of the Estates Common may be removed by a two-thirds absolute supermajority of the Estates Common. If the office of Speaker falls vacant, a new Speaker shall be elected. In the event that the Estates Common is unable to elect a Speaker, and a vacancy in that Office lasts for at least four days, the Emperor shall appoint the Speaker from amongst the membership. The Estates Common may establish Standing Orders to regulate their internal affairs, which shall not extend beyond their operation and must be legally compliant.

IV. For each session of the Estates General the Estates Noble shall elect a Speaker from amongst their membership to preside over their proceedings. The Estates Noble may establish Standing Orders to regulate their internal affairs, which shall not extend beyond the Estates Noble's operation and must be legally compliant.

V. Legislation originating in the Estates Common, including a bill which amends the Constitution, shall be considered approved if the bill attains a simple majority vote in support in the appropriate time-frame for voting. Upon receiving the approval of the Estates Common, the bill shall progress to the Estates Noble for consideration. If the Estates Noble approves the bill, it shall proceed for Imperial Assent. If the Estates Noble rejects the bill, it shall return to the Estates Common, which may vote, by two-thirds absolute supermajority, to override the decision of the Estates Noble to reject the bill. If the vote to override the decision of the Estates Noble is carried, the bill shall be considered to have received the approval of both chambers of the Estates General and shall proceed for Imperial Assent.

VI. Legislation originating in the Estates Noble, including a bill which amends the Constitution, shall be considered approved if the bill attains a simple majority vote in support in the appropriate time-frame for voting. Upon receiving the approval of the Estates Noble, the bill shall progress to the Estates Common for consideration. If the Estates Common approves the bill, it shall proceed for Imperial Assent. If the Estates Common rejects the bill, it shall return to the Estates Noble for further deliberation.

VII. If either chamber shall amend legislation presented by the other chamber, upon the approval of the amending chamber, the bill shall be returned to the originating chamber for consideration of the amendments. If the originating chamber concurs in the amendments, the bill shall proceed for Imperial Assent.

VIII. A bill needs the approval of both chambers of the Estates General and Imperial Assent by the Emperor to become law. A bill that proceeds for Imperial Assent shall be presented to the Emperor. Imperial Assent shall only be achieved where the Emperor signs the bill. The Emperor shall have the power to veto any bill presented. Upon vetoing a bill, the Emperor may decide to return the bill to the originating chamber with his objections.

IX. The Estates Common and the Estates Noble may only conduct their business when the Estates General is in session. The Emperor is empowered to open and dissolve the Estates General. The term of the Estates General shall be between five (5) and ten (10) weeks, which shall be decided by the Emperor prior to each election. After being open for the alotted term, the Estates General shall automatically dissolve. The Emperor is also empowered to dissolve the Estates General at any time.

X. Before a new Estates General is opened, a general election for the members of the Estates Common shall take place based on a first-past-the-post electoral system, where all Electors may stand and vote. Where fewer candidates are standing for the Estates Common than there are seats available, all candidates shall be deemed elected without the need to conduct a poll of any length. All elections shall last forty-eight hours.

XI. The Emperor shall administer all elections, but may appoint up to three Electors who are not members of any political party and who are not participating in any election, as electoral commissioners to assist him in the conduct thereof. The Emperor may delegate to them the power to establish procedures for the conduct of elections, adjudicate disputes arising from them and decide the date of every election. Disputes arising from electoral processes shall be non-justiciable and appeals from the decisions of the electoral commissioners shall be brought to the Emperor.

XII. Members of the Estates Common are automatically removed if they are inactive for more than fourteen days. Additionally, if a member of the Estates Common has not posted within the Estates Common for more than a week, a vote may be initiated in the Estates Common to remove them, which requires a two-thirds absolute supermajority, of all members other than the member in question, to pass. If a vacancy arises among the membership of the Estates Common, a by-election shall be conducted for each seat that is vacant using a first-past-the-post electoral system.

XIII. In instances where a minor amendment is required, whether due to a change in terminology, a typographical, spelling or grammatical error, or any other instance where this does not change the meaning of the relevant text, the Emperor may alter the text of the Constitution or of any statute without first informing the Estates General. However, the Emperor must make a public declaration of any changes he has made under this section of the Constitution. A public declaration granting consent by the Emperor Emeritus is required before any alteration can be made to the text of any section of the Constitution which includes a reference to the Emperor Emeritus or the Retired Emperors Sequentia.

XIV. Provided that the Emperor Emeritus, a Retired Emperor Sequentia or the Lord High Steward has certified that a Civil Contingency is in effect, a Peer of the Realm may submit a bill directly to the Emperor to sign or veto. If signed, such a bill shall be enacted as an Order of the Guardian Council and law. An Order of the Guardian Council shall cease to be law when rescinded by the Emperor or the certified Civil Contingency is declared to have been concluded by the Emperor Emeritus. A Peer of the Realm may not submit any bill under this section which amends or repeals the Constitution.

Article V

I. The Imperial Government shall be responsible for the execution of law and management of the region's affairs as directed by the Emperor. This shall not be construed to include administration of the forum or the on-site region. The Imperial Government shall consist of all Secretaries of State, all Under-Secretaries of State and all Civil Servants.

II. The Imperial Government shall be divided into Departments of State. The Emperor may establish and abolish Departments of State and segments thereof. The Emperor may appoint and dismiss a Secretary of State to lead each Department of State.

III. Each Secretary of State shall be the Minister responsible for loyally, effectively and actively managing the portfolio covered by their Department of State. Each Secretary of State is accountable to the Emperor for the performance of their responsibilities. The Emperor shall exercise supervision over the actions of each Secretary of State.

IV. The Imperial Council shall coordinate the business of the Imperial Government across all Departments of State. Each Secretary of State shall serve on the Imperial Council. The Emperor or his designee shall preside over the Imperial Council.

V. The Emperor may confer the office of Prime Minister, and subsequently remove it from, a Secretary of State. The Prime Minister shall perform functions prescribed by the Emperor.

VI. The Emperor may, by executive order, issue commands on implementation of policy and execution of the law, which all members of the Imperial Government shall follow.

VII. The Emperor may appoint and dismiss Under-Secretaries of State and Civil Servants in any Department of State. Within their Department of State, each Secretary of State may, subject to any conditions specified by the Emperor, appoint and dismiss Under-Secretaries of State and Civil Servants. Each Under-Secretary of State shall be the Auxiliary Minister responsible for the portfolio assigned to them by the Emperor or their Secretary of State. A Secretary of State may, subject to any conditions specified by the Emperor, delegate their power to appoint and dismiss Civil Servants within their Department of State to, and subsequently abrogate it from, an Under-Secretary of State.

VIII. The Estates Common may, with an absolute majority, propose removing a Secretary of State or Under-Secretary of State by passing a motion of no confidence. Such a proposal shall be submitted to the Emperor for decision.

IX. The Emperor may convene a Sentinel Council, which shall offer confidential advice to the Emperor and the Imperial Council on matters of government. When the Sentinel Council is convened, the Emperor shall select and remove Sentinel Counsellors. The Emperor may designate a Prefect, from amongst their number, to preside over them.

Article VI

I. The Imperial Courts of Justice shall possess judicial authority and shall have jurisdiction in all matters of law and equity. The Imperial Courts of Justice shall consist of the High Court of Justice and the Imperial Court of Appeal. The jurisdiction of the High Court shall be exercised by the Lord Chancellor and/or a Justice of the High Court of Justice. The jurisdiction of the Imperial Court of Appeal shall be exercised by a panel of three (3) Peers of the Realm selected by the Emperor to sit as Lords of Appeal in Ordinary to hear a specific appeal. The Emperor may alter the composition of a panel selected to hear an appeal at any time. Where the Lord High Steward is serving on a panel of the Imperial Court of Appeal, they shall preside. Where a panel of Lords of Appeal in Ordinary is sitting and the Lord High Steward is not a member of the panel, the highest ranking Peer of the Realm (by title and then seniority) shall preside.

II. The Lord Chancellor shall be the President of the High Court of Justice. The Lord Chancellor may not be a member of a political party. Whenever the office of Lord Chancellor is vacant, the Lord High Steward shall nominate a Peer of the Realm to serve as Lord Chancellor. Before assuming office, a nominee for Lord Chancellor must be confirmed by an absolute majority vote in both chambers of the Estates General or be approved by the Emperor in case the Estates General, for whatever reason, are unable to confirm a nominee for Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor shall lose their judicial commission only if:

(a) they cease to be a Peer of the Realm, for whatever reason;
(b) the Estates General vote with a two thirds (2/3) supermajority in both chambers to remove them from office;
(c) the Emperor removes them from office; or
(d) they resign their judicial commission;

III. The Lord Chancellor may nominate up to three (3) electors to serve as Justices of the High Court of Justice. Before assuming office, a nominee for Justice of the High Court must be approved by the Emperor. Justices of the High Court of Justice shall lose their judicial commissions only if:

(a) they become eligible to lose citizenship, as by inactivity or conviction of any offence for which loss of citizenship is an eligible punishment;
(b) the Emperor or the Lord Chancellor removes them from office;
(b) the Estates General vote with a two thirds (2/3) supermajority in both Chambers to remove them from office; or
(c) they resign their judicial commission.

IV. If the Lord Chancellor is unsatisfied by the way a matter before the High Court of Justice is handled, they may reallocate the matter at any time. Also, if they determine that neither they nor any of the serving Justices of the High Court of Justice are able to preside over a specific matter without bias or a reasonable perception of bias, the Emperor shall appoint a Citizen of the Imperial Demesne as Recorder of the High Court of Justice to exercise the jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice in and lasting for that matter only.

V. Only a person authorised by the Emperor, or by a Secretary of State empowered by the Emperor to authorise public prosecutions, may make public prosecutions. Private prosecutions may be commenced by any Citizen of the Imperial Demesne, but before being heard must demonstrate that the Citizen of the Imperial Demesne in question was significantly personally affected by the alleged crime. Additionally, all prosecutions must only continue to trial if the alleged facts are not facially spurious and would provide legal grounds for convicting the defendant if proven. The High Court of Justice shall reject any application for a criminal case where it assesses there are no reasonable grounds on which a prosecution could proceed to trial. In criminal matters at trial, the standard for the prosecution to prove as to fact, with a presumption of innocence in favour of the defendant, is that the defendant committed the crime concerned beyond reasonable doubt, which means the High Court of Justice must be sure the defendant committed the offence. Where a defendant has been convicted of a crime, they shall be sentenced in accordance with the judgement of the judiciary and any statutes specifying the maximum sentence for that offence.

VI. Any Citizen of the Imperial Demesne may apply for judicial review of whether or not a public body's decision is lawful. Any Citizen of the Imperial Demesne or corporate entity may make a civil claim against another Citizen of the Imperial Demesne or corporate entity seeking remedy for a non-criminal breach of law. It is at the High Court of Justice's discretion whether or not to entertain specific applications for judicial review or civil claims. In civil matters at first instance, the standard for the claimant to prove as to fact is on the balance of probabilities, which means a judicial officer must be satisfied the claim is more likely than not correct.

VII. Either party to an application for judicial review or a civil claim, whatever the outcome, may seek an appeal. The defendant in a criminal matter may seek an appeal against conviction or sentence. The prosecution in a criminal matter may appeal against a sentence which they believe is unduly lenient or against a ruling terminating a prosecution on legal grounds, but they may not appeal against an acquittal following a trial of fact. In all these circumstances, leave to appeal must be obtained from the High Court of Justice or the Emperor. Where leave is granted, the appeal shall be heard and determined by the Imperial Court of Appeal.

VIII. The Rules and Procedures for the Imperial Courts of Justice shall be fixed by law. Anyone disobeying the Rules and Procedures of the Imperial Courts of Justice can be summarily convicted of criminal contempt of court and sentenced by any judicial officer. Any person convicted of criminal contempt of court shall have the normal rights of appeal against conviction and sentence.

Article VII

I. Subject to Acts of the Estates General, forum administrative requirements, regional security and the need to protect confidential information, citizens of the Imperial Demesne shall have unlimited freedom of expression.

II. Subject to Acts of the Estates General and forum administrative requirements, citizens of the Imperial Demesne shall have the right to form political parties, civil societies and religious organisations within the region.

III. No citizen of the Imperial Demesne shall be convicted of any offence except following a fair trial with an impartial judge. All Citizens shall be Innocent until proven Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and no Citizen shall be made to suffer an unreasonably harsh punishment for any crime. No Citizen may be compelled to present self-incriminating evidence in Court, and no Citizen shall twice be put on Trial for the same offence unless further evidence is found and a writ is issued authorising another trial with the new evidence. No Citizen shall be deprived of Liberty or Property, or permanently deprived of Citizenship, without the Due Process of Law, and no Citizen shall be denied the Equal Protection of the Law.

IV. All Persons shall enjoy, for the duration of their citizenship the Right:

(a) to petition the government for a redress of Grievances
(b) to a Fair, Speedy, and Public Trial in all Cases, unless the Court decides that the evidence presented in a case will be harmful to the moral decency of the forum society or are sensitive and confidential, and to Legal Counsel in all Criminal Cases
(c) to be Secure in their Privacy against Search and Seizure, except when such Search or Seizure is authorized by a valid Judicial Warrant and based on Probable Cause.

V. Notwithstanding the above, the Emperor may, by issuing a Lettre de cachet, impose a criminal sentence of banishment on a Citizen of the Imperial Demesne as if they had been convicted of an offence and sentenced to the same punishment by the Imperial Courts of Justice. No Citizen of the Imperial Demesne shall be banished unless it is in compliance with an order of the Imperial Courts of Justice, a Lettre de cachet issued by the Emperor in accordance with this section of this Constitution, or an administrative decision.

VI. A person may renounce their citizenship of the Imperial Demesne through public declaration to that effect. Offices established under this Constitution may be voluntarily relinquished through a public declaration to that effect, except in cases where different conditions for an officeholder choosing to step down are specified.

VII. Wherever a position is listed in a specific masculine or feminine form, the appropriate form may be assumed from the gender of the person holding the position.

VIII. This Constitution shall be supreme throughout the Empire of The LKE and in the event of conflict between the Constitution and any other law, the Constitution shall control.

Article VIII

I. The first Emperor who abdicated following the enactment of this article, Onderkelkia, became the Emperor Emeritus. No other person who has ruled as Emperor may adopt this title.

II. The Emperor Emeritus shall take precedence after the Emperor and before any other Citizens of the Imperial Demesne. The same precedence shall be enjoyed by the Emperor Emeritus in all realms, dominions and territories within the Empire. The Emperor Emeritus shall hold irrevocable membership of the Electoral College and Citizenship of the Imperial Demesne in perpetuity.

III. The Emperor Emeritus shall be the custodian of the on-site capital region.

IV. The Emperor Emeritus shall be the custodian of the on-site regions of all vassal realms, dominions and territories which were within the Empire at the time of his abdication.

V. All classified information and intelligence must be made available to the Emperor Emeritus on his request and in a manner consistent with his requirements.

VI. The Emperor Emeritus may use the style "His Imperial Majesty". The Emperor Emeritus has the discretion to make use of an emeritus title for each vassal realm and dominion which was within the Empire at the time of his abdication.

VII. The Emperor Emeritus shall be immune from all criminal or civil proceedings and decisions. Decisions of the Emperor Emeritus are exempt from judicial review.

VIII. Any bill passed by the Estates General which amends, repeals or otherwise affects this article of the Constitution (including any section within this article), Article IX (including any section therein), Article X (including any section therein) or any section of the Constitution (regardless of the article) which includes a reference to the Emperor Emeritus or Retired Emperors Sequentia, must be presented to the Emperor Emeritus before proceeding for Imperial Assent. The Emperor Emeritus may grant or withhold consent to a bill presented under this section. If the Emperor Emeritus grants consent, the bill shall proceed for Imperial Assent. If the Emperor Emeritus does not grant consent, the bill may not proceed for Imperial Assent and shall not be enacted. The procedure outlined under this section shall also apply to all bills which repeal and replace the entire Constitution.

IX. The position and title of Emperor Emeritus shall be dissolved if the Emperor Emeritus voluntarily makes a formal and public proclamation relinquishing the position and title.

Article IX

I. Where the Emperor Emeritus judges that a regency is necessary for the continued good rule of the Emperor's realm, the Emperor Emeritus may declare a regency and appoint a regent or regents from among the members of the Imperial House and the Peers of the Realm. Each regent appointed by the Emperor Emeritus shall be vested with all powers and duties of the Emperor, subject to any exceptions specified by the Emperor Emeritus, until such time as the Emperor Emeritus declares the regency to have concluded. The Emperor Emeritus may decide to exercise their authority under this section of their own accord or following a petition submitted by the Guardian Council.

II. For the duration of any regency when either the Crown Prince or an Ordinary Prince is appointed as the sole regent under the above section, the prince so appointed shall hold the title of Prince Regent. In all other cases, the Emperor Emeritus may specify the title to be adopted by the regent or regents for the duration of the regency.

III. At any point after a regency under this article has been declared and the Emperor Emeritus further judges that the Emperor is no longer able to discharge his duties for the region, the Emperor Emeritus may certify that an abdication has occurred and command the Guardian Council to proceed in accordance with its responsibilities upon the abdication of the Emperor.

Article X

I. The Emperor may decide to become a Retired Emperor Sequentia at the time of his abdication if the following two criteria are both met when he abdicates. The first criterion is that the Emperor's reign has lasted for a continuous period of at least four years. The second criterion is that the Emperor Emeritus consents to the Emperor becoming a Retired Emperor Sequentia.

II. A Retired Emperor Sequentia shall take precedence after the Emperor, after the Emperor Emeritus and before any other Citizens of the Imperial Demesne. The same precedence shall be enjoyed by a Retired Emperor Sequentia in all realms, dominions and territories within the Empire. Among themselves, Retired Emperors Sequentia shall take precedence in order of becoming a Retired Emperor Sequentia. A Retired Emperor Sequentia shall hold permanent membership of the Electoral College and Citizenship of the Imperial Demesne.

III. All classified information and intelligence must be made available to a Retired Emperor Sequentia on his request and in a manner consistent with his requirements.

IV. A Retired Emperor Sequentia may use the style "His Imperial Majesty". A Retired Emperor Sequentia shall have the discretion to use the next highest title, after those titles pertaining to the Emperor and the Emperor Emeritus, for each vassal realm and dominion which was within the Empire at the time of his abdication.

V. A Retired Emperor Sequentia shall be immune from all criminal or civil proceedings and decisions.

VI. The Emperor may command that a petition, requesting the removal of a Retired Emperor Sequentia only on the ground that the individual concerned is no longer loyal to the realm, be submitted to the Emperor Emeritus. Such a petition may be granted or denied by the Emperor Emeritus. If a petition under this section is granted, then the specified Retired Emperor Sequentia shall lose his position and all associated privileges.

VII. A Retired Emperor Sequentia shall lose his position and all associated privileges if they voluntarily make a public proclamation relinquishing the position and title.